Bad Blood: The First Book of the Aphotic by Tobin Elliott

Author:Tobin Elliott [Elliott, Tobin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Luminous Aphotica Publishing
Published: 2022-10-06T04:00:00+00:00

♦ ♦ ♦

“What the hell do you mean, I can’t see her right now?” Diane yelled. “She’s my daughter and she’s in pain! Let me in there!”

Two orderlies held her, one on each arm, as a nurse stood warily in front of her, looking ready to defend herself if Diane broke free.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Davis—”

“Ms. Davis!”

“I can only tell you what I’ve been instructed to tell you. And that is, once again, that, at least for right now, you cannot see Alex.”

“But why? She’s my little girl.”

The nurse raised her hands, palms out. “Please, ma’am, don’t make this any harder than it is. Go take a seat in the waiting room. Frank here will get you a coffee and—”

“I don’t want a goddamn coffee!”

“Please, Ms. Davis.”

“Ma’am? Mrs. Davis?” Someone behind her was trying to get her attention.

Now who’s this? Diane turned as much as she could while still being gripped by the two orderlies.

Cops? What the hell’s going on here?

“Could we have a word with you, Mrs. Davis?”

The nurse stepped in. “It’s Ms. Davis,” she said.

“Thanks,” the first officer said. “What do you say, Ms. Davis? Can we grab a coffee and talk?”

“What’s with the goddamn coffee? I don’t want a coffee!” She struggled between the orderlies. “Do I look like I need a goddamn coffee?”

The officer looked at the nurse. “Is there someplace where we can…?”

“Exam room five is open,” she said.

“Thanks.” He looked at the orderlies. “We can take it from here.”

One orderly raised his eyebrows. When they released Diane she seemed to sag. The second officer took her gently, but firmly, by the elbow and the three of them walked the short distance to the exam room.

“Have a seat,” the first officer said, indicating the plastic chair farthest from the door.

“I’d rather stand,” Diane said.

“Please,” the officer said. “Ms. Davis. Take. A. Seat.”

She sat.

“I’m Constable McDonald and this is Constable Sydock.”

Normally, Diane would answer with either her name or a “pleased to meet you,” but they obviously knew who she was and she wasn’t pleased about anything at the moment. Instead, she nodded.

Constable Sydock took the other plastic seat and Constable McDonald leaned against the exam table, crinkling the paper pulled over it.

“What’s this about, Constable?” Diane said. “Why won’t they let me see Alex?”

“That’s what we’d like to talk to you about,” McDonald said. “Tell me about Alex. How’d she get hurt?”

Diane told them about Alex being in the high chair, about arguing with Talia about breakfast, and then, out of nowhere, the screaming.

“And where were you when she started to cry?”

“I was standing in front of her. Like I said, I’d just given her a hug. She was asking for another one.”

“And your other daughter?” McDonald looked at Sydock, who had a small notebook out and was scribbling in it.

“Talia,” Sydock said.

“Your daughter Talia,” McDonald continued, “where was she?”

“Standing beside the kitchen table.”

“How far away from Alex?”

“Why?”

“How far away, ma’am?”

“Uh…I don’t know,” she said, looking down, trying to remember. “Three or four feet?”

“And you were facing Alex the entire time?”

“Yes.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.